Michael Jackson (no, not the singer) is largely credited with being the first true craft beer aficionado. Now, a new documentary gives us a portrait of the English journalist and his travels.

On Sept. 4, The Rio Theatre and Camra Vancouver present Beer Hunter, about the man who helped pave the way for today’s craft beer culture. And, as is fitting, the evening will also feature an array of craft beer from local breweries.

An English journalist who also wrote about whiskey, Jackson’s interest in beer was sparked in 1969 with his first taste of a Belgian ale. Intrigued, he began exploring Belgian beer and culture. He would go on to write a number of books on the subject, including The World Guide to Beer, which is considered the first ever to categorize every beer style. Jackson, who died in 2007, also hosted The Beer Hunter, a documentary series on the Discovery Channel.

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